2007 was the year of Judd Apatow as his sophomore directorial feature Knocked Up was a huge box office hit as well as a huge hit with critics. Other films that he produced like Superbad and the music bio-pic spoof Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story also drew stellar reviews though the latter was a commercial disappointment. With associates that included his wife Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jason Segal, Jay Baruchel, Bill Hader, Evan Goldberg, Martin Starr, and Kristen Wiig plus contributions from Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, and John C. Reilly. Judd Apatow has been now called the King of Comedy. With more contributions to new films coming in 2008, Apatow lets one of his associates take the helm for another Apatow-driven production in the film entitled Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the story of a musician who for years, had been in the shadow of his TV-actress girlfriend where all of a sudden, she breaks up with him. Devastated by the break-up, the man takes a vacation to Hawaii where he learns that his ex-girlfriend is at the same hotel with her new rock-star boyfriend as he finds solace in a laid-back employee of the hotel. Directed by newcomer Nicholas Stoller and written and starring Jason Segal. The film has the same kind of raunchy humor that Judd Apatow has been known for as well as wonderful character study and sweet character development. Also starring Apatow regulars Bill Hader, Paul Rudd, and Jonah Hill plus Russell Brand, Mila Kunis and in the role of Sarah Marshall, Kristen Bell. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a hilarious, raunchy, and certainly heartwarming film from the Judd Apatow company.

Throughout the past five years, music composer Peter Bretter has been in the shadow of his longtime, TV-actress girlfriend Sarah Marshall. While making music for her show that she co-stars with William Baldwin, things seem to go great for Peter as he's also planning a puppet-musical based on Dracula. Then one day, Sarah arrives at his home announcing that she's breaking up with him. On the advice of his step-brother Brian (Bill Hader) and Dr. Rosenbaum (Steve Landesberg), he goes into a series of womanizing that doesn't work as Peter is still heartbroken. Brian suggests that he goes on a vacation as Peter travels to Hawaii. Arriving into a resort, he meets the resort's laid-back, free-spirited employee named Rachel (Mila Kunis) as he asks for a room. Peter then learns that Sarah is in the same resort with her new boyfriend, British rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand).

Rachel gives Peter his room, despite the fact he couldn't afford it, as he cries himself loudly over the fact that Sarah is with Aldous in the next room. After meeting a few eccentric employees including Matthew (Jonah Hill) who seems to have a strange attraction towards Aldous as Peter finds comfort in a chef named Kemo (Taylor Willy) and a bartender named Dwayne (Davon McDonald) helps him. He also befriends a newlywed couple in Darald (Jack McBrayer) and Wyoma (Maria Thayer) while deciding to take surf lessons from a stoner named Chuck (Paul Rudd). Peter's heartbreak is still in him as he often chats with Brian and his wife Liz (Liz Cackowski) about what to do about Sarah. Peter finds himself seeking company from Rachel who takes him around the town and sites. Rachel, is also dealing with problems with her ex-boyfriend (Kala Alexander) as she and Peter enjoy each other's company as he tries to deal with Sarah.

When Sarah gets word that her show just got cancelled, she talks to Peter about it as he learns he's out of the job. For Peter, it's a good thing since he can now focus on his Dracula project that Rachel has been telling him to do after coaxing him to sing a song at a restaurant. With Peter's relationship with Rachel blossoming, Sarah finds herself unsure with Aldous who is helping Darald's problems with sex, as Peter learns some dark secrets into why Sarah broke up with him and what drove their separation. With Sarah now having trouble dealing with Peter's blossoming relationship, she wonders if she should've broken up with Peter as he is wondering if he can get over Sarah Marshall.

Breaking up stinks and it's certainly something that men can relate to. Here's a film that is about what men go through after breaking up and how they try to get over it. The result is an enjoyable comedy that reveals that love stinks and it's a b*tch to get over and move on. The film's star and screenwriter Jason Segal truly creates a script that is funny through and through. Especially in the situations and character development that goes on. While some parts of the story is a bit predictable, it's the humor that makes the entire film memorable and certainly enjoyable. Even with its use of raunchy gags, intoxicated humor, and most of all, full-frontal nudity courtesy of Mr. Segal.

Director Nicholas Stoller does a solid job with the film's direction while maintaining an intimate setting for the film's characters and their interaction with each other. The use of the Hawaiian locales are truly inspiring and colorful as it brings a lively look to the entire film in comparison to other Apatow-produced features. Stoller's improvisation and also knack of humor is similar to the work of Blake Edwards, notably "10" that had a similar presence of a man dealing with a break-up only to fall for some young woman. The result is a comedy that is funny through and through with big laughs and lots of heart as well as real, lively characters.

Cinematographer Russ T. Alsobrook does a great job with the film's intimate, dark look for Los Angeles that is a huge contrast to the colorful, bright look of Hawaii in all of its exterior and interior locales. Editor William Kerr is excellent for giving the film a leisurely-paced feel without any kind of fast cuts to maintain a straightforward look and feel. Production designer Jackson De Govia and set decorator K.C. Fox do a great job in creating the look of the Hawaiian resorts and locales that feels like Hawaii itself. Costume designer Leesa Evans creates a wonderful look in the costumes from the dresses that Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis wears to the shirts that the men wear. Sound editor George H. Anderson does a superb job with the film's sound to convey the atmosphere that is Hawaii. Music composer Lyle Workman brings a wonderful score to convey its tropic look while the soundtrack featuring the Smiths, Jason Segal, Russell Brand, and covers of many pop songs in a Hawaiian style are wonderful. Notably Segal's own songs in the Dracula musical that are top-notch funny.

The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is wonderfully assembled with cameo appearances from such character actors as Gedde Watanabe as the hotel's manager and Branscombe Richard as a luau bartender named Keoki to other notable cameos by surfer Kala Alexander, Apatow regular Carla Gallo as one of Peter's bad dates, and appearances by Access Hollywood reporter Billy Bush, William Baldwin, and Jason Bateman. Taylor Willy and Davon McDonald are funny as two hotel employees Peter befriends as they tell him to stop crying and get his act together while Steve Landesberg is great as a pediatrician who tells him to sleep other women. Liz Cackowski is good as Brian's wife Liz who tries to help but at one becomes part of a sick, raunchy joke by Peter. Apatow cohorts Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill are hilarious in their respective roles as the stoner surf instructor Chuck and the hotel's waiter Matthew. Rudd's stoned-out performance is filled with huge laughs including a hilarious scene where he makes fun of Aldous' British accent while Hill is great for his crush on Aldous which suggests that he's a closet homosexual.

30 Rock star Jack McBrayer and Hill's Accepted co-star Maria Thayer are great as an overly-excited newlywed couple where McBrayer's character has a fear of sex as he tries to deal with it with some unlikely help from Aldous. Bill Hader is funny as Peter's stepbrother Brian who tells Peter to get over Sarah while saying bad things about her and such as Hader is funny in his role. One of the film's funniest performances comes from British actor/musician/TV personality Russell Brand as Aldous Snow, a cocky yet whimsical man who likes to do strange sex moves in bed or on the stage. Yet, sporting many tattoos, the man despite some of his actions and off-kilter personality is just... cool. Brand's performance is just funny throughout the entire film as he reveals that despite his own nature, the character of Aldous Snow will always remain cool.

Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars/Heroes fame is excellent in the role of Sarah Marshall who, despite her actions in breaking Peter's heart, is a full character who is trying to move on with Aldous only to realize that she might not have a future and how much she actually loved Peter. Bell brings a nice touch of sexiness, humor, and certainly a bit of b*tchiness to her role as a young woman who doesn't really understand love. The film's big revelation and certainly one of the film's best performances is Mila Kunis who some might remember for her role as Jackie in the TV show That 70's Show. Kunis' lively, free-spirited performance is a joy to watch as she helps Peter deal with his heartbreak, curse out her ex-boyfriend, and observe Sarah Marshall. Kunis adds some sexiness to her own but it's the way she portrays Rachel with such heart and warmth as the girl Peter should be with.

Then there's Jason Segal, an Apatow regular, who delivers a great performance as Peter Bretter. Segal's performance is filled with a lot of laughs as he cries about his break-up, cries after sex, and also expose himself during some moments that are supposed to be sad but end up being funny. Segal is truly genius as he doesn't do any kind of raunchy gags but brings sympathy to a guy who is trying to get over Sarah Marshall while wondering what broke them up. He's also funny when he's doing his stuff that involves his Dracula musical that shows his wonderful talents. He's also worthy of doing something dramatic while having wonderful chemistry with both Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis. Segal gives a real star-making performance that will put him in great company among his Apatow cohorts.

While it doesn't reach the heights of masterpieces like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up nor the raunchiness of Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is still a hilarious and enjoyable comedy that ranks up there as one of the essential Judd Apatow-produced comedies. Thanks to Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segal, they created a film that is truly laugh-out-loud as well as sweet and compassionate that is accessible to a wide audience. With a great cast that includes Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, Jack McBrayer, and Apatow cohorts Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, and Paul Rudd. It's a film that is certainly needed among the crop of lame horror films, dull action movies, and most of all, uninspired spoof films. In the end, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a hilarious, raunchy film that could only come as funny from the mind of its producer Judd Apatow.

Judd Apatow Films/Production:

The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005):

http://www.epinions.com/content_221894250116

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006):

http://www.epinions.com/content_246723022468

Knocked Up (2007):

http://www.epinions.com/content_371044028036

Superbad (2007):

http://www.epinions.com/content_413673885316

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007):

http://www.epinions.com/content_411827998340

Step Brothers (2008):

(Coming Soon)

Pineapple Express (2008):

http://www.epinions.com/content_440665476740


Recommended: Yes

Movie Mood: Funny Movie
Viewing Method: Studio Screening/Premiere
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing